Revolving sign.



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Aby 'l Ell-'11 im ,ml muli Y -.Z Haifa? v 193er) UNITED STATES Patented October 20, 1903.v

PATENT QEEICE.

REVOLVING SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,635, dated October 20, 1903.

Application filed June 18, 1903;

To all whom it may concern/:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. DE CAMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Re# volving Sign,of which the following is a speciication.I

My invention relates to revolving signs, and has for its object to produce a device of this character of simple construction which will be efficient in operation, one in which the speed of the mechanism which rotates the drum will be automatically regulated, and one in which the'drum during its rotation will actuate an audible signal for attracting at-V tention to the sign.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fullyhereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section longitudinally through the drum. Fig. 3 is a transversesectionv through the same.

Referring to the drawings,1indicatesia post or other suitable baise, from which arises a vertical cylindrical standard 2, composed of gas-pipe, rod-iron, or the like, and to which is attached by set-screws a pair of verticallyspaced collars 3. v

4 is a frame of substantial U shape in side elevation and disposed with its crown-bar 5 in 'a vertical plane, thereby presenting a pair of horizontal bars -and 7, which are spaced vertically one above the other, respectively. This frame is pivoted for rotation upon the standard 2 by means of eyeboltsS, projecting horizontally from the frame-bar 5, with their eyes encircling the standard and resting each upon one of the collars 3. The frame is further connected to the standard adjacent to the upper end of-4 the latter by means of a plate 9, bolted to the upper horizontal frame-bar 6, withits outer end extending beyond the bar 5 and perforated for the reception of the standard. y

is a vertical shaft mounted inand sustained by the horizontal bars 6 7 of the frame adjacent to their outer ends and comprising an outer tubular member 11 and an inner cylindrical member 12, which latter extends throughthe tubular member and projects be- Serial No. 162,131. (No model.)

yond the same at its upper end and has fixed upon its projecting end a vane 13. The in and the upper face of bar 7 antifriction-balls 14. The member 1l is rotated through the medium of intermeshing gears 15 16, fixed, respectively, upon the member and the inner end of a horizontal drive-shaft 17, journaled in suitable bearings carried by plate 9 and provided at its outer end with a wind-wheel 18.

Fixed upon the rotary outer member 11 of the shaft and movable therewith is a drum 19, consisting, preferably,of end rings or heads 20, connected by spaced standards or boards 2l, preferably four in number and diametrically oppositely disposed, the longitudinal edges of the boards 2l being recessed or grooved, as at 22, and the upper head provided with openings 23 concentric with the head and disposed at intervals coincidentwith the'spaces between the boards 21. This drum receives v and carries four plates or members 24, bearing dierent advertising matter. These plates, which are removable to permit the substitution of other plates therefor, are in practice inserted downward through the openings 23 and engage at their longitudinal edges with. the longitudinal grooves or recesses 22 and are composed, preferably, of glass, though they may of course be of other suitable or desired material, such ascotton fabric, paper, cardboard, or tin. The standards or :boards 2l are connected in pairs and strengthened by means of braces extending horizontally between them and within the drum, said braces being provided upon their upper faces y with suitable lamp-receiving cups or brackets 26, which, as shown in Fig. 2, receive and sustain lamps for lighting the device at night,

-at which time the plates 24 will of course be IOO ried by a horizontal arm projecting from bar 5, and a gong-striking clapper or hammer 28, the rod of which is formed at its upper end into a leaf-spring 29, bolted or otherwise secured to the frame-bar 6, the clapper being acted upon to strike the gong through the medium of horizontal pins 30, projecting one from each of the standards 21. These pins, which are of a length to extend within the path of the clapper 28, successively engage and draw the same back during the rotation of the drum, as will be readily understood, the clapper when released from the pins being swung forcibly against the gong 27 by spring 29.

For automatically controlling the speed of rotation of drum 19 and rendering the same uniform under wind changes I mount upon member 11 of the shaft a sliding collar 31, connected by links 32 with a head-block 33, fixed to the shaft adjacent to its upper end and a suitable distance above the collar, the links 32 being pivoted at their center and provided at such point with governor-weights 34.

The collar 31 is provided with a suitable peripheral groove, which receives the outer end of one arm of a bell-crank lever 35, the outer end of the other arm of said lever being similarly engaged with a peripheral groove formed in a collar 36, slidingly mounted upon the drive-shaft 17, the lever 35 being pivoted at its elbow to a suitable arm or projection carried by the inner bearing of the driveshaft. From this construction it will be seen that as the wind-wheel 18 rotates, owing to action of Wind upon its blades, it drives shaft 17, which latter through the medium of the intermeshing gears rotates the drum and member 11 of the shaft 10, and that as the speed of shaft 17 increases, owing to an increase of wind force, the governor-weights 34 will swing outward through centrifugal force, thus lifting collar 31 and rocking lever 35 upon its pivot, thereby moving collar 3G into contact with the hub of gear 16, frictionally braking the latter and retarding rotation of shaft 17. As the wind force decreases the movement of the parts will of' course be reversed, thus permitting free rotation of the drive-shaft. As the direction of the wind changes it will in acting upon the fixed vane 13 swing the frame upon the standard 2 as a pivot, thus at all times holding the wheel 18 properly in the wind.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a device of comparatively simple construction which will be efficient in operation and one which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in View. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein set forth, inasmuch as minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I-Iaving thus described my invention,what I claim is- 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a vertically-pivoted frame, ofa horizontal drive-shaft carried thereby and provided with a wind-wheel, a Vertical driven shaft journaled for rotation in the frame, a drum fixed for rotation with the driven shaft, and an audible signal operated through the rotation of the drum.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a vertically-pivoted frame, of a horizontal drive-shaft carried thereby and provided with a wind-wheel, a vertical driven shaft journaled for rotation in the frame, a drum carried by and rotatable with the driven shaft, a vane for swinging the frame on its pivot to maintain the wheel in the wind, and a governor automatically operable by variations in the speed of the driveshaft for controlling the speed of the driven shaft.

In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence ot' two witnesses.

GEORGE W. DE CAMP.

'Witnessesz PATRICK C. HENRY, M. ALAN CRAIG. 

